The 7 Best Wireless Travel Routers to Buy in 2018

Whether you're a #WorkAnywhere or #GlobeTrotter kind of person who cannot live without the internet, travel router can save your life.

Okay, that's an exaggeration. But travel routers can save you so much time and hassle.

How?

Well, with travel routers, you don't have to fiddle for 30 minutes with the airport/hotel WiFi trying to connect all of your devices. With a set-up travel router, you can get connected within seconds. That's 29 minutes and a few seconds more for teleconferencing/blogging/giving instructions to you VA/whatever you use the internet for when being away.

Yeah, but when you type "travel router" on Google, there are literally thousands of models out there. Which one to buy? Which is the easiest to set up? Which one is the best bang for your bucks?

The 7 Best Wireless Travel Routers to Buy in 2018

This pocket router (yes, it's that portable) has earned the "Amazon's Choice" badge, and for a good reason.

Pros for TP Line N300:

It can reach 300 Mbps of speed and has 2.4 GHz bandwidth for a smooth, frustration-free gaming experience and video streaming.

Possibility to plug it into multiple sources of power.

Easy installation process with a WISP access point and the connection can be shared with various devices.

Lightweight and small: 7.2 ounces and can fit in your palm.

Flexibility in its functions and can act as an extender/access point/clients/hotspot/bridges mode.

Cons for TP Line N300:

Some clients have reported durability issues.

Conclusion

TP Line N300 is one of the smallest wireless WiFi routers in the world but packs an impressive punch for its size.

It will fit the needs of almost any traveler, and you can even use it at home as an extender when you're not away. Its promised speed is not the highest out there but will satisfy light internet users, and the featherweight guarantees a no-fuss packing.

Not every travel router can be used for multiple devices, but this one ticks that box. For its price, it's an excellent bargain.

You like being connected 100% of the time, but your phone battery simply can't keep up? Well then, you and this gem of a travel router are a match made in heaven.

Pros of HooToo 10400mAh:

It has a built-in portable battery charger (woot!) with 10400mAh power. For those who don't speak electricity mumbo-jumbo like me, it's capable of fully charging your smartphone THREE times over.

It allows you to change a wired connection into a wireless one in seconds, making your life as mobile as you'd like it to be.

It has a single USB port that can accept USB sticks, memory cards, and hard drives. Basically, you can plug a large variety of devices.

It can be used in various modes, from extender to bridges.

An emphasis on backing up the files from your devices to any connected USB tool to free up some space - great for photographers/videographers.

Cons of HooToo 10400mAh:

Backing up files has its own complexity and needs fiddling a bit.

Conclusion

For a little bit under $40, this wireless travel router ticks almost all boxes. They do recommend you to install the HooToo app to be able to connect multiple devices - so this can be a turn off for some people.

Its strength lies in its power bank capacity and multiple ports for seamless media streaming. It's lightweight and allows you to pack it in your handbag and forget about it.

Looking for something Chromecast-friendly? This travel router allows you to play media files from a connected USB device on a big screen seamlessly through Chromecast.

Pros of RAVPower File Hub Plus:

Multiple uploading options + built-in SD card reader.

Several modes available: router, extender, and bridges.

Built-in 6000mAh power bank, which allows you to charge one device fully at least one time.

It supports a large file transfer to free up some space on your devices.

Multiple ports available to plug different types of devices.

Cons of RAVPower File Hub Plus:

It's bigger than the average size of wireless travel routers.

It doesn't support Mac formatted hard drive.

Poor battery life.

Quite complicated to use - definitely not for beginners.

Conclusion

Although it's great for people who like taking HD photos and videos during their travels, the size and weight will make more than one person back off.

A lot of people will appreciate the flexibility in the uploading options available. This router is a great choice for heavy social media users or Youtubers on the go, who don't mind carrying a bit of weight in their backpack.

Cons of HooToo TripMate Nano:

Speed is limited to up to 150 Mbps.

The app lacks some basic features.

Conclusion

if you want cheap and lightweight, this is the one for you.

This will satisfy the needs of the "casual" travelers who don't need to stream big files and fast. You shouldn't expect a wide range of WiFi coverage, either. But for its price, it's sure a strong contender in the category.

Cons of GL.iNet GL-AR750:

Does not look as stylish as the other five above (but really, this is just me being nit-picky).

Conclusion

This pocket router is great if you like flexibility and options.

We also love the pre-installed VPN to keep your data safe and secure even when using free WiFi. If you want to take your micro SD cards and avoid all the other bulky storages, you'll find satisfaction with this one.

Pros of GL.iNet GL-MT300N:

OpenVPN is already pre-installed, ensuring you a layer of protection and data privacy.

TOR enabled.

It supports different modes: tethering, 3G/4G, bridges.

Super lightweight, it weighs 1.4 ounces only.

Cons of GL.iNet GL-MT300N:

Its speed is only up to 300 Mbps. This should be enough for many travelers, but not the most demanding ones.

Can be a hassle to set up.

Conclusion

A perfect tool for a budget traveler, this is one of the best value-for-money travel routers.

Its featherweight and cool color will appeal to many. But most importantly, it does its job impressively well and without frills. As configuration is stress-inducing, we recommend this for the most tech-savvy few.